Lachie Neale has had enough

[Xtreme]

I'd argue that players are being paid more than they should be in order to kick a bit of leather around a ground. If they can't handle criticism then perhaps if they can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

Come up with a viable solution to the problem tut tutting people in these kinds of statements achieves nothing.

 

[Toffee Lion]

I'd argue that players are being paid more than they should be in order to kick a bit of leather around a ground. If they can't handle criticism then perhaps if they can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

“They get paid enough money that I’m allowed to give them shit”.

What a horribly outdated take.

 

[420]

Extremely cruisy life if a couple of sooks on a text-based social media platform are the worst thing you've got going on. Kick the ball, collect your money and GTFO social media if you're in the spotlight. I fail to see why Afl players keep putting themselves in the ring if they hate it so much

 

[FrustratedTiger]

The problem here is that the type of person anonymously trolling players would be getting off on the fact that Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

32

Ht

177cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

mentioned it. Better off ignoring these tools rather than giving them oxygen

 

[Cyclonus]

Why even have your account receiving messages from random people? I don't, it would be even more important for a famous person to limit their settings. Unless they keep them open for a reason (chicks).

 

[Mitchell Madness]

End of the day its sticks and stones. The ones doing the trolling are bullies, and reacting just gives them fuel

 

[Leather Poisoning]

It's not going to stop.
I think the best thing LN can do if it's upsetting him, don't go on social media.

It's good to call it out.

But also - what you're saying is a good call. Being on social media where cans can access the players is a PRIVILEGE for the fans. If we keep hating on them like this they should all just pack up their bags and jump off the platform.

 

[pico]

Why is little bro so tilted? Just words on a screen.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Not whinging about gambling. I gamble myself.

The reality is if you make your living from a gambling-based endeavour - and some will argue with this, but footy pretty much now is that - then this is always going to happen. It affects some people very badly and this is how some of them react.

I genuinely believe that many in football, including many players, are in denial about the industry they are in.

I think there's only a bit of truth in what you say. I mean you can say they're in the 'gambling fueled entertainment industry'.
But they're also dedicated their bodies and lives 24/7 to this endeavor during their best years. It's fun and awesome and fulfilling - but the dedication comes at a cost.

I just hate the fact that people think they can buy the right to treat people they don't personally know like absolute shit. Let's not blame the people being abused here.

I mean, you've got Barrett and the footy media that stir up controversy at every point. They'll run articles like "which players are under most pressure in 2025" which should be retitled too "who are we going to hound relentlessly until they play a good game?" The people who are fueled by this and don't even realise this are just as bad. Whatever Willi Rioli received prior to his social media post was likely from frothed up hawk supporters.

So the AFL media stir up a frenzy. The fans are dumb enough to get stirred up. It has real world effects on real people. But let's not say the players deserve this because they're in the entertainment/gambling industry. I think that holds the wrong people to account.

 

[Chief]

Why is little bro so tilted? Just words on a screen.

Why are you tilted by his words on a screen?

 

[pico]

Why are you tilted by his words on a screen?

Why are you tilted by my words on a screen?

 

[Aura]

To some extent, I question whether cyberbullying is truly real when you can click ‘X’, hide, delete, or archive messages, switch or delete apps, turn off message requests, or even make an alternate account if privacy is such a concern, even if, in an ideal world, we shouldn’t have to resort to any of that in the first place.

 

[Orange crush]

I was certain this thread would be about LN having had enough of Zorko being an absolute farking flog

 

[Leather Poisoning]

To some extent, I question whether cyberbullying is truly real when you can click ‘X’, hide, delete, or archive messages, switch or delete apps, turn off message requests, or even make an alternate account if privacy is such a concern, even if, in an ideal world, we shouldn’t have to resort to any of that in the first place.

Are you serious?

It is truly real.

For teenagers - you can just switch off your phone but you're also switching off your whole social existence. Online social environments are more embedded in daily life than ever - and a player can block direct messages for example but they can't stop people @'ing them in abusive messages. If they delete the problematic apps they have friends sending them pics of what people are saying about them.

In the AFL world it's magnified. Players have always had to deal with media (e.g. should be able to walk down the street after a bad game and a critical newspaper article). But social media amplifies it so much. Every moron can have an anonymous go at the player. If they try and disconnect they are still treated differently and worse in person because of the online intensity.

This is the thing I've come to learn about cyber bullying is that it doesn't just stay online. Unplugging is getting hard and harder.

 

[beez]

There is some irony to people using BigFooty to discuss the adverse effects of social media.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I think there's only a bit of truth in what you say. I mean you can say they're in the 'gambling fueled entertainment industry'.
But they're also dedicated their bodies and lives 24/7 to this endeavor during their best years. It's fun and awesome and fulfilling - but the dedication comes at a cost.

I just hate the fact that people think they can buy the right to treat people they don't personally know like absolute shit. Let's not blame the people being abused here.

I mean, you've got Barrett and the footy media that stir up controversy at every point. They'll run articles like "which players are under most pressure in 2025" which should be retitled too "who are we going to hound relentlessly until they play a good game?" The people who are fueled by this and don't even realise this are just as bad. Whatever Willi Rioli received prior to his social media post was likely from frothed up hawk supporters.

So the AFL media stir up a frenzy. The fans are dumb enough to get stirred up. It has real world effects on real people. But let's not say the players deserve this because they're in the entertainment/gambling industry. I think that holds the wrong people to account.

They don’t deserve it. It’s not ok.

I’m not talking about “should”. I’m talking about the reality.

It is simply a fact of life for them and it will not stop because the people who do it are either (a) mentally ill or (b) doing it because it’s wrong and there is no consequences. They’re just trying to get a bite and when they do, it’ll only encourage them to do it more.

Neale doing what he did isn’t going to stop or slow it. There’s not going to be some reckoning. It will only make it worse.

And many in the industry are in total denial. How can Chris Scott say he doesn’t care at all about people who gamble on football when it is his #1 meal ticket? And in the same breath say more money needs to go into the soft cap? He’s not dumb, so you have to figure it’s denial, or something.

 

[Toump Ass]

The only reason Lauchie Neal needs a public instagram account is for sponsorships (as if he really uses Coles' homebrand supplements), and to pick up s***s while he's travelling.

Why you'd want to read the messages complete strangers send you is beyond me, especially when most of them are probably just messaging you to tell you to **** off.

You only empower the people doing it by responding to it.

 

[Lsta062]

View attachment 2286806

He's 100% right, people that send these abusive messages to players are absolute w***ers.

Not sure how you stop it though.

Many of those people are cowards. Imagine if everyone was required to use their government identity and picture. These people would probably have inactive accounts

 

[Aura]

Are you serious?

It is truly real.

For teenagers - you can just switch off your phone but you're also switching off your whole social existence. Online social environments are more embedded in daily life than ever - and a player can block direct messages for example but they can't stop people @'ing them in abusive messages. If they delete the problematic apps they have friends sending them pics of what people are saying about them.

In the AFL world it's magnified. Players have always had to deal with media (e.g. should be able to walk down the street after a bad game and a critical newspaper article). But social media amplifies it so much. Every moron can have an anonymous go at the player. If they try and disconnect they are still treated differently and worse in person because of the online intensity.

This is the thing I've come to learn about cyber bullying is that it doesn't just stay online. Unplugging is getting hard and harder.

I get where you’re coming from, and I don’t want to sound like I’m being dismissive of real pain people experience especially young people or public figures in intense environments like the AFL. I know it’s not as simple as “just turn your phone off” when your whole social world is tied to it. And yeah, even if someone tries to disconnect, the ripple effects can still reach them.

I guess my post was more about struggling to reconcile how something can feel so constant and overwhelming when there are technical ways to create space or shut it out, even if those options aren’t always emotionally or socially easy to take. I totally agree: in reality, those decisions often come with a cost.

Maybe my wording came off as naive or too black and white, but it’s more a reflection of how I think about the contrast between digital and physical harassment and how blurry that line is getting. I’m not trying to undermine anyone’s experience, just questioning how we define it and what tools we have (or don’t have) to deal with it in the modern world.

 

[Toffee Lion]

I guess my post was more about struggling to reconcile how something can feel so constant and overwhelming when there are technical ways to create space or shut it out, even if those options aren’t always emotionally or socially easy to take. I totally agree: in reality, those decisions often come with a cost.

I'm sure similar was said back in the day. "Just walk away, don't talk back to them, tell a teacher, it's not a big deal just ignore it etc etc".

I do not disagree with you entirely as there are certainly more avenues in the digital space vs physical to deal with the issue but certainly it's not black & white.

My concern is less with adults but teenagers/children. If we normalise this behaviour as adults, our kids have no hope.

 

[BigPond101]

It's a part of the job if you want to be a highly paid AFL player unfortunately. Neale doesn't complain about the hundreds of offers for sex from beautiful women he receives through social media each week. It just smacks of Neale being upset that one tiny part of his life isn't 100 % perfect while the athlete privilege he was born with has taught him he should never face any difficulties

 

[Toffee Lion]

It's a part of the job if you want to be a highly paid AFL player unfortunately. Neale doesn't complain about the hundreds of offers for sex from beautiful women he receives through social media each week. It just smacks of Neale being upset that one tiny part of his life isn't 100 % perfect while the athlete privilege he was born with has taught him he should never face any difficulties

It's not a part of the job to accept abuse, stop normalising it and being a part of the problem.

 

[sherb]

There is some irony to people using BigFooty to discuss the adverse effects of social media.

Yeah, not a lot of self-awareness is being displayed here.

While the posting on BF doesn't get to the extremes of social media, thanks largely to good moderation, it can often be overly critical, unpleasant and occasionally downright nasty towards players, coaches and umpires. You would hope that those in the firing line, their families and friends stay away as who knows what effect it could have on them.

As just one example, I can remember one particular whipping boy on the Carlton board years ago, and thinking at the time "God I hope the poor bloke doesn't come here and read this". It was relentless.

So while everyone is rightly talking about the misuse of social media towards players, keep in mind that you are quite possibly part of the problem too via your BF posting. I know I've been guilty of it..............

 

[beez]

My concern is less with adults but teenagers/children. If we normalise this behaviour as adults, our kids have no hope.

Kinda like how we spend all day bitching about umpiring?

 

[Toffee Lion]

Kinda like how we spend all day bitching about umpiring?

Ah yes because complaining about umpiring decisions on a public & open forum is akin to direct messages of abuse & bullying.

You're a smart cookie.